Medication risk mitigation system and method

Abstract

A medication risk mitigation method utilizing three interventions: a prospective intervention performed by a prescriber, a concurrent intervention performed by a pharmacist and a retroactive intervention performed by a pharmacist. At each intervention, the system of the instant invention utilizes a computer program to compare each prescribed medication to a series of intrinsic and extrinsic data sources in order to identify potential contraindications and, if necessary, modify a prescription. The system also permits secure messaging between prescribers and pharmacists, each with access to the computer program, so as to facilitate communication and reduce medication risks. The system of this invention also permits modeling for hypothetical medication modifications based on the same intrinsic and extrinsic data sources.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 920,052, filed Dec. 23, 2013.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates in general to computer implemented medication risk management and, more specifically, reducing the likelihood of patient harm arising from prescribed medications.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Patients routinely take one or more prescribed medications to treat illnesses. The pandemic of medication-related morbidity and mortality and the increasing rate and cost of medication-induced injuries is also well known in the art. Patients and society are burdened by emergency room visits and hospitalizations that often result from misadventures with prescription medications. Fortunately, disparate data sources provide useful insights into the interactions between two or more medications. Other data sources, referred to herein as intrinsic components, include personalized information ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects and advantages are obtained by using a method for mitigating medication risk, comprising a network linked computer program product further comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored in a memory device, the instructions executable by a processor to direct the performance of operations for the management of a regimen for a patient's use of prescribed medication. The program instructions comprise the steps of initializing a prospective intervention, a concurrent intervention and a retrospective intervention. The prospective intervention comprises the steps of receiving at least one medication input from a prescriber for a patient into the memory device; comparing the at least one medication input for the patient to at least one intrinsic component data source or extrinsic component data source; sending a first message to the prescriber through a network linked system if the at least one medication input is matched with at least one contraindication based on the comparison between the at least one medication input and the at least one intrinsic component data source or extrinsic component data source; and editing the at least one medication input with any modifications the prescriber may make based on the contraindication, thereby creating one or more prescribed medications. The concurrent intervention comprises the steps of sending a second message to a pharmacist through the network linked system comprising the one or more prescribed medications; comparing the one or more prescribed medications for a patient to the at least one intrinsic component data source or extrinsic component data source; sending a third message to the prescriber through the network linked system if at least one of the one or more prescribed medications is matched with at least one contraindication based on the comparison between the one or more prescribed medications and the at least one intrinsic component data source or extrinsic component data source, and; editing the one or more prescribed medications with any modifications the prescriber may make based on the contraindication, thereby creating one or more revised prescribed medications. The retrospective intervention comprises the steps of recognizing a triggering event; comparing the one or more prescribed medications for a patient to the at least one intrinsic component data source or extrinsic component data source; sending a fourth message though the networked linked system to the prescriber if at least one of the one or more prescribed medications or revised prescribed medications is matched with at least one contraindication based on the comparison between the one or more prescribed medications or revised prescribed medications and the at least one intrinsic component data source or extrinsic component data source; and editing the one or more prescribed medications or revised prescribed medications with any modifications the prescriber may make based on the contraindication, thereby creating one or more revised prescribed medications. The pharmacist dispenses the one or more prescribed medications or the one or more revised prescribed medications after the concurrent intervention or the retrospective intervention.

Problems solved by technology

Patients and society are burdened by emergency room visits and hospitalizations that often result from misadventures with prescription medications.

Currently, prescribers and pharmacists are unable to combine intrinsic and extrinsic components in a way that provides meaningful interventions with adequate procedures in place to avoid not only harmful interactions between two or more drugs, but also see potential harms related to other intrinsic components that may be patient-specific.

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